Mary Stewart

Mary Frances Stewart, 76, of Keithsburg, Illinois passed away on Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at home.

Visitation is Saturday, December 8, 2012 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Keithsburg First Christian Church.  Funeral services are 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 9, 2012 at the church, Rev. Charles Reynolds officiating.  Pallbearers are Billy Spearman, Justin Stewart, Sean Morris, Jamey Powelson, Cork Reid, John Penrod, Warren Sanford and TJ Harrison.  Burial will be in Greenmound Cemetery, Keithsburg.  The family request that in lieu of flowers, memorials be left for the Keithsburg Volunteer Ambulance Service.  Dennison Funeral Home, Aledo is handling arrangements.

Mary was born in Davenport, Iowa on February 22, 1936, the oldest daughter of Cecil Leroy “Jack” and Frances Marion Hogan Balzer of Viola.  Mary grew up in Viola and attended Winola School.  She married her husband, John W. Stewart, in the First Presbyterian Church of Viola on May 29, 1954.  Mary traveled with her husband for 10 years, from 1954 to 1964 while they were in The United States Air Force.  After leaving the service in 1964, they moved to Keithsburg, Illinois where Mary worked as a secretary at Cannon Bronze then as a certified nurses aid at the Mercer County Nursing Home.  Mary was also a certified EMT and was a member of the Keithsburg Fire Department for 30 years.

Mary is survived by her husband of 58 years, John W. Stewart, Sr.; 4 children Vanessa Stewart, Valerie (Warren) Sanford, Veronica (John) Penrod and John W. “Jake” (Christie) Stewart along with 9 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Elizabeth Elliott and brother Edward Leroy Balzer and nephew Nelson “Butch” Elliott.